A usable intake
Fields, guidance, and validation appropriate to one request type.
Operations / Intake & approvals
One way in. A clear way forward.
Collect the right information, route it to the right reviewer, and make waiting visible.
Book a call ↗Free 30-minute call. Bring one task.
Where it gets stuckIntake & approvals,
Intake & approvals,
with the context attached.
A request can arrive by chat, email, and spreadsheet without anyone knowing which version is current. Approval then becomes a chase for missing information rather than a decision. A well-scoped intake gives each request a clear identity and owner.
A good first scope
Choose one request type, its approval rules, and the information reviewers most often have to chase.
The workflow
- 01 / The starting point
A request arrives with an agreed set of fields.
- 02 / The right context
Check completeness and determine the approval path from documented rules.
- 03 / Prepared for review
Prepare the request record, evidence, and the next reviewer’s task.
- 04 / A person decides
The authorized person approves, rejects, or asks for clarification.
Before we startThree things
Three things
to settle first.
Which request type arrives by the most channels, and which information do reviewers chase most often?
What are the approval rules, thresholds, and separations of duty that must not change?
Who handles an incomplete request, a duplicate, or a change after approval?
Tangible work
A useful working handoff
An approval map
Thresholds, delegated authority, escalation, and handling for absent reviewers.
A visible decision trail
Status, reviewer decisions, requested changes, and a safe return to the requester.
How we would startMap it. Test it.
Map it. Test it.
Then decide.
Agree the trigger, source systems, reviewer, and acceptance criteria. Build the bounded preparation path, then test it with the person who will own it.
Include the awkward cases
Test incomplete requests, the same request sent twice, an absent approver, and a change after approval.
Keep this boundary explicit
Automation does not grant spending authority or bypass segregation of duties. Sensitive request categories and retention need explicit handling.
See how acceptance evidence works ↗A few useful answers
Before we begin.
Can urgent requests take a different path?
Yes, if urgency has a defined rule and an authorized owner. It should not be inferred just from an emphatic message.
Can AI approve routine work?
Rules can route or prepare routine work. Any approval authority must be explicitly agreed and tested; it is not assumed.